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Is it too early to pick the best new restaurant of 2018? Bavette’s actually opened at the tail end of 2017, which shows how quickly this Chicago transplant has left an impression. Informal yet regal, dark and sexy (but in a nontraditional way), the new steakhouse is one of the restaurant cornerstones of the Park MGM/NoMad Hotel resort (for now, still known as the Monte Carlo). There will soon be other new dining options announced for the evolving Strip destination, and they’ll all have catching up to do to compare to Bavette’s.

The foyer is French country meets leather-and-wood library. The long, sleek dining room glows under golden chandeliers and Tiffany lamps, which create warm vibes while maintaining intimacy at every table. And don’t get us started on the bar hidden at the back of the room. From the moment you first step inside Bavette’s, you feel like returning again and again.

Oh yeah, the food is delicious, too—a seemingly classic steakhouse menu with some surprises along the way. Dishes from bygone eras make triumphant returns, like baked goat cheese slathered in rich red sauce with garlic bread for dipping, and a prime beef French dip sandwich. Chilled seafood towers and dry-aged, bone-in ribeyes await for the baller set, while burgers griddled with American cheese, smoked salmon Caesar salads and fried chicken with mashed potatoes and cipollini onion gravy will satisfy those in need of extra comfort. Side dishes of thick-cut, maple-black pepper bacon and bourbon-glazed sweet potatoes go with everything. And save room for a towering slice of lemon meringue pie to finish your first masterpiece meal. Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar at Monte Carlo, 702-730-6700; Sunday-Thursday 5-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5-11 p.m.